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Friday 15 August 2025
Felon Charged in November 2024 Daytime Shooting of over 15 Rounds in Southeast D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vance McIlwain, 32, and Kenneth Johnson, 32, both of Washington, D.C., were indicted Wednesday and arraigned today for the November 2024, firing of over 15 rounds of ammunition in a residential neighborhood and shooting of a man in southeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
McIlwain and Johnson were indicted on August 13, 2025, by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, on charges of assault with intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, aggravated assault while armed, endangerment with a firearm, and conspiracy. Johnson was also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.
Both men were arraigned on today, August 15, 2025, at a hearing before the Honorable Judge Jason Park. They each face a maximum of thirty years in prison if convicted of the charges.
According to the government’s evidence, on November 8, 2024, at about 3:50 p.m., McIlwain and Johnson were captured on CCTV conspiring to shoot the victim. Inside of an apartment building hallway, Johnson was captured on video passing a cross-body bag to McIlwain, which is believed to have contained a firearm. They both made their way to the apartment building’s entryway landing. McIlwain stepped out of the building and removed the firearm from the bag, but then returned to the entryway and handed the gun to Johnson. Johnson re-racked the firearm and gave it back to McIlwain. McIlwain walked down the alley, turned the corner, and began firing over 15 rounds of ammunition at the victim, who was sitting on a front porch. A stray bullet went into a neighbor’s house and another was found on the front porch.
Following the attack, McIlwain ran back to the apartment building and handed the gun to Johnson. McIlwain then continued to run from the scene. Johnson entered one of the apartment units. Johnson was found inside the apartment unit and was arrested. McIlwain was arrested about an hour and a half later in the area. Investigators recovered 15 spent shell casings from the scene. Both have been in custody since their respective arrests.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rudolf.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Inmate Convicted of First-Degree MurderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today the conviction of DANIEL V. SMITH of first-degree murder. SMITH was convicted by a jury following a trial before U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern and will be sentenced on December 4, 2025. SMITH faces a mandatory life sentence.
“Daniel V. Smith murdered a fellow inmate in cold blood at FCI Otisville by brutally beating him in the head with a lock tied to a belt,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Thanks to the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners, the defendant has been held accountable for his heinous crime.”
According to the Indictment, court filings, and statements made in court:
On October 26, 2021, SMITH was incarcerated at FCI Otisville, where he was serving a sentence related to a prior assault he committed in 2013 while incarcerated. To obtain a transfer to a different housing unit, SMITH, without provocation, brutally attacked another inmate—housed in the cell next to his own—by swinging a lock tied to a belt and striking his victim in the head repeatedly, cracking open the victim’s skull. The inmate suffered traumatic brain injury, fell into a vegetative state, and died from his injuries.
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SMITH, 65, of Otisville, New York, was convicted of one count of murder in the first degree, which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
Mr. Clayton thanked the staff of FCI Otisville for their assistance and praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force.
This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin L. Brooke, Shaun E. Werbelow, Benjamin D. Klein, Jeffrey C. Coffman, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Jackie Fleury, are in charge of the prosecution.
Federal Complaint Filed Against Los Angeles Man Following In-Flight DisturbanceRead the Press Release
GRAND JUNCTION – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that David Leroy Carver Jr., 47, has been charged by criminal complaint for interfering with flight crew members and attendants on a Breeze Airways flight from Norfolk, Virginia, to Los Angeles, California, on August 13, 2025. The flight was diverted to Grand Junction Regional Airport.
According to the criminal complaint, Carver made inappropriate sexual comments and racial slurs toward a flight attendant during the commercial flight. When a passenger overheard and told him to stop, Carver threatened to strike the passenger and threw chewing tobacco from his mouth into the passenger’s face. Another passenger intervened and restrained Carver, allowing flight attendants to place him in zip tie restraints. During the struggle, Carver lunged at a flight attendant, injuring her hand. Carver then freed himself from the restraints, removed his belt, and wrapped it around his knuckles in a threatening manner before flight attendants were able to separate him from the belt.
Carver made his initial appearance in Federal Court in Grand Junction on August 14, 2025, in front of United States Magistrate Judge Richard T. Gurley.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Grand Junction Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Springer.
The charge in the criminal complaint is an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Case Number: 25-mj-199-RTG
Federal Charges Filed Against Pensacola Man for Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Alaisjah Dayshawn Perkins, 22, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for one count of unlawful transfer and possession of a machine gun and one count of receipt, possession, transfer and production of a firearm which is not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFR&TR) and unserialized. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Perkins appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon on August 12, 2025, for his arraignment at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for October 6, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
Perkins faces a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment for each count.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
El Salvadoran national, illegally living in Carrollton, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United StatesRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – An El Salvadoran national, illegally living in Carrollton, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
David Antonio Lopez-Hernandez, 43, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.
The indictment alleges that on April 18, 2025, Lopez-Hernandez was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
If convicted, Lopez-Hernandez faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stevan Buys.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Eau Claire Woman Sentenced to 7 ½ Years for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that May X. Kong, 42, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 ½ years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Kong pled guilty to this charge on May 7, 2025.
On July 4, 2024, Eau Claire police officers stopped a vehicle that Kong was riding in after it left the house of a known methamphetamine dealer. Inside the vehicle’s center console, officers found a loaded SCCY CPX-2 9mm handgun. Officers also found a small amount of methamphetamine. Kong admitted to police that the gun belonged to her. Kong is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm because of prior felony convictions.
At Kong’s sentencing, Judge Conley found that a substantial sentence was necessary because this was Kong’s third conviction for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon. Judge Conley was particularly concerned that Kong was returned to crime only a few months after being released from state prison.
The charge against Kong was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Eau Claire Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Clark County Sheriff’s Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins prosecuted the case.
Federal criminal cases involving firearms are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Earling Man Sentenced to Four Months in Federal Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – An Earling, Iowa, man was sentenced on August 15, 2025, to four months in federal prison for wire fraud.
According to public court documents, from September 2021 to October 2022, Mitch William Gross, 34, defrauded his employer, Ruan Transportation Corporation, by using business-related credit cards for personal purchases, including prepaid gift cards, Pokemon cards, and gaming items. Gross submitted falsified receipts and mischaracterized fraudulent charges on his expense reports so that the purchases appeared as legitimate business expenses. His fraudulent purchases totaled over $140,000.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Gross will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Gross was also ordered to pay $146,590.15 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Des Moines Police Department.
Eagle Butte Woman Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a woman from Eagle Butte, South Dakota, who was convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on August 11, 2025.
Jaclyn Blue Coat, age 26, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Blue Coat was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. She pleaded guilty on May 15, 2025.
On September 24, 2024, Blue Coat stabbed the father of her children with a knife in the left upper chest, causing his death. The incident occurred during an argument on the deck outside the victim’s residence in Dupree, South Dakota, within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Blue Coat was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Eagle Butte, South Dakota, who was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on August 4, 2025.
Dion Michael Brown, age 55, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Brown will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2023. He pleaded guilty on April 21, 2025.
Between May 1, 2020, and October 2, 2022, Brown engaged in a sexual relationship with the victim while they were living in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. During this period, Brown was between 50 and 52 years old, and the victim was between 13 and 15 years old.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Brown was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
District of Arizona Charges 161 Individuals with Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from August 9, 2025, through August 15, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 161 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 79 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 71 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 10 cases against 11 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Isidro Calleros-Sotelo: On August 11, Isidro Calleros-Sotelo was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Calleros-Sotelo had been previously removed from the United States in 2024 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Financial Gain in the United States District Court, District of Arizona. In that case, Calleros-Sotelo was sentenced to 15 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. [Case Number: 25-MJ-08396]
United States v. Mario Alberto Rodriguez-Herrera: On August 13, a Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Deputy performed a traffic stop on Mario Alberto Rodriguez-Herrera. Border Patrol Agents responded to the scene to conduct an immigration inspection and determined that the back seat passenger in the car was a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Rodriguez-Herrera initially claimed to be a Lawfully Admitted Permanent Resident (LAPR), and later explained that he “shared” a LAPR card with a friend who has similar physical attributes. However, when agents found a LAPR card bearing the name “Mario Rodriguez" located inside Rodriguez-Herrera’s vehicle, they determined that it was a fraudulent document. Agents then confirmed that Rodriguez-Herrera was a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Rodriguez-Herrera was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien and Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits and Other Documents. [Case Number: 25-MJ-08447]
United States v. Ricardo Daniel Villalobos-Cardenas: On August 14, Ricardo Daniel Villalobos-Cardenas was charged with Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens, for his role in an alien smuggling conspiracy that involved picking up aliens in southern Arizona and transporting them to a stash house in Phoenix. Villalobos-Cardenas was identified as both the caretaker of the stash house and someone who transported illegal aliens. [Case Number: 25-MJ-3060]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-136_August 15 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Defendant Convicted of Sex-Trafficking of Women at Notorious “Penn Track” in Brooklyn and the Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Joel David Forney, also known as “Sirbar,” on two counts of sex trafficking for using force, fraud and coercion to cause two women to work as prostitutes, including at an open-air sex trafficking market along a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in East New York known as the Penn Track, as well as related charges for transporting a woman to and from New York and other states, including Connecticut and Wisconsin, with the intent that she engage in prostitution. Forney was also found guilty of coercion and enticement of a minor with whom he had sexual intercourse in 2014 when he was 31 years old. The verdict was returned after a five-day trial before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto. When sentenced, Forney faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, and up to life, in prison.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the verdict.
“The jury found that Forney used violence and threats to compel women to engage in commercial sex acts at the Penn Track for his own profit, and enticed a vulnerable minor into having sex with him” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office will relentlessly pursue those, like the defendant, who engage in sex trafficking, and I commend the survivors of Forney’s depraved conduct who bravely assisted law enforcement in bringing him to justice."
Mr. Nocella also expressed his thanks to the FBI/NYPD Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force for their outstanding investigative work on the case.
“The defendant used violence and threats of violence to compel his victims to engage in commercial sex for his profit,” stated Assistant Attorney General Dhillon. “There is no place in a civilized society for the defendant’s inhumane conduct, and the Justice Department is committed to punishing human trafficking and achieving justice for its victims.”
“Joel Forney lured and forced women into commercial sexual acts with multiple individuals for his own profit and personally sought out and sexually abused a minor. Forney mercilessly punished and threatened extreme violence to induce compliance from his trafficked victims. May today’s conviction empower survivors of sexual violence and emphasize the FBI’s intolerance of those who seek to profit from another’s abuse,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.
As proven at trial, Forney used false promises to lure women into his trafficking business. Forney then compelled these women to engage in commercial sex with men while keeping their earnings for himself. If the women refused, Forney subjected them to physical abuse and threatened to hurt or kill them if they did not comply. Forney showed one victim an image on his cellphone of a dismembered woman and stated, “this is what happens to whores who don’t obey their pimps.”
The evidence also showed that the defendant lured a third victim, a minor whom he met in June 2014 near his then-home in Queens, New York, by sending her romantic and sexual text messages. Forney and the minor victim discussed her life as a teenager, including her school and her relationship with her parents, and the defendant repeatedly offered her money. Once in his house, Forney had sex with the victim, even though he was 31 years old, and she was no more than 15 years old.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Antoinette N. Rangel, Lauren A. Bowman, and Trial Attorney Leah Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Chelsea Guzman and additional assistance from Victim Witness Coordinator Huda Abouchaer and Victim Witness Specialist Kristina Marius.
The Defendant:
JOEL DAVID FORNEY (also known as “Sirbar”)
Age: 42
Kissimmee, FloridaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-146 (KAM)
DeLand Man Sentenced for Convenience Store RobberyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Tyrese Littles (25, DeLand) to seven years and three months in federal prison for Hobbs Act robbery. The court also ordered Littles to forfeit $10,000, which represented the proceeds of the robbery, and to pay the same amount in restitution to the victim. Littles pleaded guilty on May 13, 2025.
According to court documents, on March 3, 2024, Littles orchestrated and served as the getaway driver for the robbery of a gas station convenience store in DeLand. During the robbery, one of the accomplices held what appeared to be a Glock firearm to the back of the store clerk’s head while demanding money. The robbers took $10,000 and ran out of the convenience store to a nearby parking lot, where Littles was waiting for them in his SUV.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the DeLand Police Department. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Darin D. Smith Appointed to Serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of WyomingRead the Press Release
CHEYENNE, WY – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that Darin D. Smith has taken the oath of office—administered by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin on Monday—to serve as the United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming. U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed Mr. Smith to serve as interim U.S. Attorney.
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers.
The Office is involved in several programs designed to make Wyoming communities safer including Project Safe Childhood, Operation Take Back America, and the Victim Witness Program dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.
Mr. Smith was elected to represent District 6 in the Wyoming State Senate in November 2024. He has practice law in Wyoming since 2000 and is the founding member of the Smith Group Law Office. Smith has also worked with major non-profit organizations like the Family Research Council during that time.
Smith received a B.S. from the University of Wyoming in 1996 and J.D. from the University of Wyoming College of Law in 2000. He earned Honorable Mention Academic All-American honors while a member of the University of Wyoming wrestling team.
“I am honored to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming and thank Attorney General Bondi for placing her trust in me. It is a privilege to lead this great office, and I look forward to working with our federal, state, and local partners to protect the public and defend the interests of the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Darin D. Smith.
Crypto Influencer Sentenced to Prison for Multi-Million Dollar “Cryptojacking” SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Charles O. Parks III, also known as “CP3O,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Eric Komitee to one year and one day in prison for operating a large-scale illegal “cryptojacking” operation. As part of the scheme, Parks defrauded two well-known providers of cloud computing services out of more than $3.5 million worth of computing resources so that he could mine cryptocurrency worth nearly $1 million. Parks was charged with wire fraud, money laundering, and engaging in unlawful monetary transactions in connection with the scheme and pleaded guilty to wire fraud in December 2024. As part of the sentence, Parks was ordered to forfeit $500,000 and a Mercedes Benz luxury car purchased with proceeds from the scheme. The amount of restitution will be determined at a later date.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the sentence.
“Parks branded himself as an innovator and a thought leader, but in the end he was merely a fraudster whose secret to getting rich quick was lying and stealing,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This Office remains committed to prosecuting criminal actors who take advantage of new, sophisticated technologies to engage in fraud and deceit.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the FBI’s New York Cyber Crimes Task Force (CCTF).
“Charles Parks III stole more than $3.5 million worth of resources to illegally mine another million in cryptocurrency for personal luxurious purchases,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “While Parks gloated across social media platforms, he failed to mention his purported success was rooted in deceit and theft. May today's sentencing reaffirm the FBI's steadfast commitment to dismantling any cryptojacking operation that targets legitimate companies for nefarious reasons.”
“Charles Parks manipulated technology, stole millions in computer resources, and illegally mined cryptocurrency—and today’s sentencing holds him fully accountable for his deceitful actions,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “I am grateful to the NYPD and FBI investigators for their dedication, and I commend the prosecutors for their tireless efforts in securing this meaningful prison sentence. We will continue to work with all of our law enforcement partners to bring to justice anyone who seeks to undermine the integrity of our financial institutions.”
“Cryptojacking,” also referred to as malicious cryptomining, is the unauthorized use or hijacking of another party’s resources, such as electricity, hardware, or computing power, to mine cryptocurrency. According to court filings and facts presented at today’s sentencing, from in or about January 2021 through August 2021, Parks operated a large-scale “cryptojacking” operation in which he defrauded two well-known providers of cloud computing services out of more than $3.5 million worth of computing resources in order to mine nearly $1 million in cryptocurrency.
Parks created and used a variety of names, corporate affiliations, and email addresses, including emails with domains from corporate entities he operated called “MultiMillionaire LLC” and “CP3O LLC,” to register numerous accounts with the service providers and to gain access to massive amounts of computing processing power and storage that he did not pay for. Parks also deceived the providers into approving heightened privileges and benefits, including elevated levels of computing services, and deflected inquiries from the providers regarding questionable data usage and mounting unpaid subscription balances. For example, Parks told one provider that he was using the computing resources to build “a global online training company that focuses on media, technology, and business strategy” and that his goal was “to serve 10,000 students simultaneously.” In reality, there was no training company, and there were no students. Parks instead used the fraudulently obtained computing resources to mine various cryptocurrencies including Ether, Litecoin, and Monero.
Parks then converted and laundered the cryptocurrency proceeds through cryptocurrency exchanges, a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace, an online payment provider, and traditional bank accounts, and structured money movements to avoid transaction reporting requirements under federal law. After converting the ill-gotten cryptocurrency into dollars, Parks used the proceeds to make extravagant purchases, including a Mercedes-Benz, jewelry, and first-class hotel rooms, and to pay travel expenses.
Parks boasted about his profits so as to earn credibility as a crypto influencer. In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel in September 2022, Parks purported to share tips for achieving what he called a “MultiMillionaire Mentality.” Describing the fraudulent scheme, Parks boasted that, “Last year I set a goal for myself that I wanted to make seven digits or more, and so I spent the first ten days of the year creating a—we’ll just call it a really nice crypto script—that I was able to use at scale. And after working that ten days, let’s just put it this way, I didn’t work the rest of the year.” He later added that, “…by April, I purchased myself a Mercedes Benz AMG S class coup.”
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Reich is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Wayne Colon.
The Defendant:
CHARLES O. PARKS III (also known as “CP3O”)
Age: 46
Omaha, NebraskaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-105 (EK)
Court Sentences Mexican Drug Smuggler Caught on the High Seas with Approximately 1,148 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
On August 14, 2025, United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Adrian Palomeque Gordillo, a Mexican national, to 108 months’ imprisonment for smuggling 1,148 kilograms of cocaine in the Pacific Ocean following his prior guilty plea on the charges.
Court documents show that on September 24, 2024, while on routine patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) helicopter from the USCG Cutter Munro spotted a suspected drug trafficking vessel in international waters, approximately 160 nautical miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico. The helicopter signaled the vessel to stop and eventually fired warning shots which were ineffective in stopping the vessel. The helicopter then shot out the engines of the vessel to stop the drug smuggling boat. Helicopter crew then recorded video of the drug smugglers jettisoning packages while the boat was disabled.
USCG personnel launched a Zodiac boat from the Cutter and boarded the vessel. USCG personnel recovered 24 bales from the water surrounding the drug smuggling vessel, which yielded a weight of approximately 1,148 kilograms of cocaine.
Gordillo and four other smugglers were taken into custody from the vessel and transferred to USCG Cutter Munro with the cocaine and brought to the United States for prosecution under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act. The vessel was deemed a danger to navigation due to no suitable tow points and its distance from land. Consequently, the vessel was sunk upon completion of law enforcement activities.
The case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorney George F. May prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
California Man Sentenced for Enticing Minors to Create Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A man from Santa Ana, California, was sentenced today for Production of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Alejandro Gomez, 32, to 180 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, Gomez will also be required to register as a sex offender.
“Despite living more than a thousand miles away from the victims, the internet allowed Gomez to entice minor boys into sending him nude photos and videos,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “While we use the internet daily, child predators abuse the internet to gain access to children.”
“I commend the work of the FBI and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in securing justice for the victims in this case, and for ensuring this vile predator faces accountability,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “Together, we will continue to aggressively pursue those who exploit children for their own sick gratification.”
According to court documents, the FBI received a tip from a 15-year-old minor victim and their parent in June 2024. The minor victim told agents that he was sharing sexually explicit material with an adult woman. Through court-authorized search warrants, agents discovered that Gomez used two different social media names and presented himself online as an adult woman who was interested in minor boys.
The investigation revealed that Gomez sought out a 16-year-old minor victim before the 15-year-old, and he immediately began grooming the 16-year-old. Their chats became sexual, and Gomez shared sexual images of an adult woman that he was pretending to be. The minor victim, in return, shared sexually explicit photos or videos of themselves. Gomez further persuaded the minor victim to create a chatroom and to invite their friends. This allowed Gomez to meet other minor victims that he ultimately enticed to produce sexually explicit images and photos of themselves for several months.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) operates a CyberTipline. It is the nation’s centralized reporting system for suspected child sexual exploitation. Online enticement can involve enticing a child to share sexually explicit images, to meet in person for sexual purposes, to engage in sexual role playing, and, in some instances, selling or trading the child’s sexual images with others.
Child predators may use a variety of tactics when enticing a child online. The CyberTipline reports that children are often approached on social media, gaming, or other online platforms. They frequently look for information about the child that is publicly available online, like the child’s school, interests, topics posted, or photos of their location. Typically, when initial contact is made, the perpetrator will persuade the child into switching applications in an attempt to keep the messaging private.
In May, President Donald J. Trump signed the TAKEITDOWN Act into law. This Act requires certain online platforms to promptly remove sexually explicit images of a child, whether authentic or computer-generated. If you believe sexually explicit photos of you are online, you can request that they be taken down through NCMEC here.
Gomez will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Butte woman pleads guilty to drug chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Butte woman accused of distributing fentanyl admitted to charges yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Brooke Rose Louise Cardonia, 33, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Cardonia faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for December 18, 2025. Cardonia was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that between February 2023 and March 2025, members of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) transported fentanyl into Montana for distribution. The DTO did so in part by utilizing local contacts in Montana, one of which was Cardonia. Cardonia both facilitated the distribution of fentanyl and connected a co-defendant to contacts in Montana that aided in the distribution efforts of the DTO.
In November 2024, Cardonia was arrested after a series of fentanyl overdoses occurred in Butte, MT, based on information developed by law enforcement that Cardonia supplied those victims with fentanyl. Cardonia spoke with law enforcement at that time and advised she worked with members of the DTO for the past two to three years to distribute fentanyl in Montana. Cardonia said the DTO provided her with a local resupply connection in Butte via her employment. She admitted using the connection to receive fentanyl from the DTO, which she then distributed.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Lowney and Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations, Southwest Montana Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, DEA and IRS conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Broken Arrow Resident Sentenced for Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dale Lynn Taylor, age 60, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a term of 30 months in prison, followed by 10 years of Supervised Release, for one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force.
On March 19, 2025, Taylor pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, Taylor was convicted of Rape-Second Degree in the State of Oklahoma on May 28, 2014, and was required to register as a sex offender, and that from April 2, 2019, until July 8, 2024, Taylor failed to register and update his registration despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Taylor will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Blanchard Man who Shared ISIS Propaganda Online Sentenced to Serve a Decade in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography and Communicating a Threat to Bomb SynagoguesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – LANDON KYLE SWINFORD, age 20, of Blanchard, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography and communicating a threat, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on May 18, 2023, Swinford made contact with an undercover law enforcement officer (UC) after posting Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) propaganda on social media. Swinford communicated with the UC through October 22, 2023, during which time he expressed a desire to travel overseas to fight with ISIS. Swinford also scouted out Gaylord Memorial Stadium at the University of Oklahoma for a possible terror attack, and suggested a Walmart or the city of New Orleans be targeted for attack as well. Additionally, Swinford sent the UC a manifesto and an ISIS Bayat video in which he pledged his allegiance to ISIS and burned an Israeli flag.
Through the course of the investigation, the FBI learned that Swinford had multiple social media accounts. On October 23, 2023, Swinford posted a public statement on Instagram that read “CAST FEAR INTO THE HEARTS OF THE KUFFAR THIS HALLOWEEN Dress up as your favorite mujahideen and bomb a synagogue.”
During the investigation, the FBI also learned that the known IP address and two accounts of Swinford were found to have accessed child pornography in April and July of 2023. Swinford later confessed to having possessed and shared child pornography. On July 17, 2024, a federal Grand Jury charged Swinford with possession of child pornography and with communicating a threat.
“The egregious conduct of this defendant stands in direct violation of our core values and must be confronted with the full force of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “The Justice Department remains unwavering in its commitment to protect children and defend our communities from the vile, hateful rhetoric exposed in this case. This sentence sends an unmistakable message: those who exploit the internet to target the vulnerable and spread fear will face swift and severe consequences.”
“In an apparent pledge of loyalty to ISIS, the defendant used his access to the internet to make threats of violence against innocent Americans,” said FBI Oklahoma City Acting Special Agent in Charge Sonia Garcia. “The sentence handed down today reflects the deliberate and calculated nature of his crimes, which also include viewing child pornography. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate this kind of egregious behavior, and we will continue to respond to all threats with the utmost urgency.”
Swinford pleaded guilty on November 13, 2024, and admitted he knowingly possessed material containing child pornography, including images of prepubescent children, and that he knowingly transmitted a communication containing a threat to injure another person.
At the sentencing hearing on August 14, 2025, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Swinford to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Goodwin noted the seriousness of the offenses, that Swinford had specifically targeted Synagogues and people of the Jewish faith, Swinford’s willingness to fight for ISIS, his distribution of child pornography, and that Swinford had direct contact with minors in which he had discussions and traded pictures of a sexual nature.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Edmond Police Department, the McClain County Sheriff’s Office, the New York City Police Department, the Norman Police Department, the Oklahoma City Community College Police Department, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma City University Police Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the University of Oklahoma Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Dillon prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Bar Argument Which Ended in a Shooting Yields Prison TimeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Duarte Santos, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on August 15, 2025, in Superior Court, to 13 years in prison, for assault and related firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Santos pleaded guilty on April 24, 2025, to aggravated assault while armed, possession of firearm during violence, assault with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a pistol without a license outside of home/business. The Honorable Judge Brandt Rainey, of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, sentenced Santos to 13 years in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 11:30 p.m., on July 5, 2024, Santos open fired a handgun toward three victims in a bar and restaurant at 3521 14th St NW. Specifically, officers viewed the establishment’s surveillance video and observed the defendant sitting inside the establishment at the bar. He then proceeded up the stairs and appeared to have a verbal exchange with two individuals. A fight between one individual and Santos broke out. During the fight, Santos took a firearm from his waistband and discharged a single round, at which point a bar employee threatened to call the police.
Santos left the bar but then returned a few minutes later and started shooting at the two men that he had been in a verbal dispute with earlier and the bar employee who told him to leave. One victim realized he was shot shortly after the shots were fired and was taken to a hospital.
Santos was arrested on July 5, 2024 and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Pericak Ginsburg and Anthony Cocuzza, who prosecuted the case.
Armed Robber Found Guilty of Robbing His Former EmployerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stephon Martin, 25, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday for, stemming from his April 15, 2025, attack on his former employer, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On August 14, 2025, after a jury trial in Superior Court, Martin was convicted of one count each of robbery while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, and felony destruction of property. Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe scheduled sentencing for November 7, 2025.
On October 18, 2024, Martin was employed as a cashier at the victim’s tobacco store in Northwest Washington, D.C. Faced with budgetary constraints, the store’s owner had to lay Martin off, and Martin reacted with extreme violence. Martin mercilessly beat the victim for several minutes before taking the cash out of the victim’s pocket and leaving the store. While the victim was still in shock, Martin returned to the store about 30 minutes later and entered using his employee key which he did not originally surrender. After entering the store the second time, Martin mercilessly beat the victim again. This time, Martin picked up a wooden board and smashed it over the victim’s head several times and forced the victim to surrender additional money from the cash register. Martin then picked up a shelving unit containing several thousand dollars’ worth of merchandise and left the store with it.
Joining the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the conviction, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Dal Lago, who prosecuted the case and Augustin Horner who investigated the case.
Armed Drug Dealer on Federal Supervised Release Is Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Torrey Lane Hodsden, 28, of Asheville, was sentenced to 300 months in prison yesterday followed by five years of supervised release for using a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking and other charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, in March 2023, law enforcement began to investigate Hodsden for drug trafficking in the Asheville area. Authorities also determined Hodsden was on federal probation in South Carolina. On March 7, 2023, the Asheville Police Department attempted a traffic stop on Hodsden, but he fled and evaded his arrest. Officers then obtained warrants and conducted a traffic stop of Hodsden who was in a different vehicle. During a search of Hodsden, law enforcement recovered a loaded XDS .45 caliber pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition and more than $3,694 in cash. Officers then searched the vehicle and recovered $44,661 in cash, methamphetamine, and marijuana from Hodsden’s Gucci bag. Later that day, law enforcement searched Hodsden’s Jaguar where they found 18 large vacuum sealed bags containing over a pound of marijuana, nearly 200 tablets of a mixture containing cathinone, over 100 grams of methamphetamine, fentanyl mixed with cocaine, and various separate amounts of fentanyl and cocaine. A search warrant was executed at Hodsden’s residence where law enforcement seized nearly half a kilogram of methamphetamine, over three pounds of marijuana, fentanyl, fentanyl mixed with cocaine and methamphetamine, digital scales, a blender with white residue, ammunition, and $7,210 in cash.
On November 19, 2024, Hodsden pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Hodsden will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he is transferred to a designated federal facility of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the DEA and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Arizona CEO Indicted for Embezzling over $2.4M from Employee Benefit PlansRead the Press Release
An indictment unsealed today in the District of Maryland charges an Arizona man with embezzling more than $2.4 million from an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) benefit plan and related money laundering offenses.
According to court documents, James Vincent Campbell, 47, of Scottsdale, Arizona, is CEO and founder of Axim Fringe Solutions Group, LLC (Axim), a company that processes employee benefits for employees of federal contractors. At the time of the alleged thefts, the company was headquartered in Maryland.
The indictment alleges Axim’s clients sent funds to the company to pay for health insurance premiums and 401(k) retirement contributions. Axim was responsible for forwarding those funds to insurance carriers and retirement accounts, charging clients a contractual fee of $40 per employee per month for its services.
Before forwarding the funds, Campbell allegedly pooled them in a master trust account. Between 2015 and 2024, he made 135 unauthorized withdrawals – totaling $2,486,905 – beyond the legitimate fees owed to Axim. Campbell used a significant portion of the stolen funds for personal expenses including big game hunting trips in Alaska, Africa, and other locations; taxidermy fees; jewelry; casino gambling; and direct payments to his girlfriend.
The indictment charges Campbell with a single count of theft from an ERISA plan and eleven counts of money laundering.
If convicted, Campbell faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison for each count of money laundering and up to five years for theft from an ERISA plan. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting Assistant Secretary Janet Dhillon of the Labor Department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration made the announcement.
The Employments Benefits Security Administration of the Labor Department is investigating the case, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service Investigative Operations Section.
Trial Attorneys Vincent Falvo and Jared Hernandez of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
American ex-pat pleads guilty to groping fellow airline passengerRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An American residing in the United Arab Emirates pled guilty yesterday to abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft in flight.
According to court documents, on June 6, Darrell Ray Seale, 56, was a passenger aboard a flight from Boston Logan International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Shortly after ascent, Seale intentionally touched himself and another passenger in a sexual manner without the victim’s consent.
After the victim gestured for Seale to stop, Seale removed his hand, but later again started touching the victim without the victim’s consent. Shortly afterward, the victim notified a flight attendant and was reseated for the remainder of the flight. Seale’s actions were witnessed by a third passenger.
Seale is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5 and faces up to two years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Joshua P. Stone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Clement and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Morgan are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-193.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Violent Retail Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 22 years in prison for committing a series of armed robberies that targeted retail stores across the city in 2023.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, between July 11 and September 16, 2023, Demetrius Antonnie Bailey, 41, and an accomplice committed a series of armed robberies at Harbor Freight Tools, multiple Metro by T-Mobile locations, a T-Mobile store, a Verizon store, and a JC Penney. During the robberies, they brandished a BB gun, a toy gun, and, in one instance, a real handgun to threaten employees and security while stealing electronics, cell phones, cash, and clothing valued at tens of thousands of dollars.
At the time of his arrest on September 28, 2023, Bailey, a repeat violent offender with prior armed robbery convictions, was in possession of a stolen firearm.
Bailey pleaded guilty to 10 counts, including interference with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. Upon his release from prison, Bailey will be subject to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and New Mexico Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Natasha Moghadam are prosecuting the case.
- Admitted gang member and felon imprisoned for possessing rifles
Alabama Man Indicted for Traveling to Florida to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a MinorRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Justin William Gifford, 26, of Enterprise, Alabama, has been indicted in federal court on one count of attempted enticement of a minor, one count of attempted transfer of obscene material to minors, and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Gifford is scheduled for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick on August 19, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. in Tallahassee, Florida.
If convicted as charged, Gifford faces up to life imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Panama City Beach Police Department, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
232 New Immigration Cases This Week in the Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 232 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Aug. 8 through 14.
Two Mexican nationals were arrested in Seguin on Aug. 8, when they were caught allegedly transporting 137 kgs of methamphetamine and 7.5 kgs of heroin. A Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office K9 deputy conducted a traffic stop on Roberto Moreno-Rangel and Martin Gomez-Cisneros near the intersection of Highway 90 and Interstate Highway 10. After the two individuals allegedly provided conflicting stories to the deputy, the K9 conducted an open-air sniff inspection of the vehicle and allegedly alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics on the rear driver side fender well area of the vehicle. Further investigation of the vehicle allegedly revealed 48 bundles concealed in an aftermarket compartment. 47 of the bundles were allegedly found to contain methamphetamine, while the remaining bundle allegedly contained heroin. Charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, Moreno-Rangel and Gomez-Cisneros each face 10 years to life in prison, if convicted.
Among the new cases, Mexican national Heriberto Monsivais Lopez aka Erik Lopez, was arrested in San Antonio as part of an investigation into firearms trafficking to Mexico. On Wednesday, Homeland Security Investigations agents, along with officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety (TX DPS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, allegedly observed Monsivais Lopez sell two 9mm pistols and 28.93 g of suspected cocaine. He was previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico on March 14, 2019. Monsivais Lopez is charged with one count of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years imprisonment.
Salvadoran national Samuel Chulo-Aguilar was charged with illegal re-entry in Del Rio, having been previously deported in 2012 through Phoenix, Arizona. In 2007, Chulo-Aguilar was sentenced to six years in prison following a conviction in Los Angeles, California, for lewd acts with a child under 14.
In Austin, Honduran national Jose Carcamo-Santos was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after he was arrested during a traffic stop by TX DPS on Aug. 9. Carcamo-Santos is charged with illegal re-entry and has been removed from the U.S. seven times between 2004 and 2022. He’s been thrice convicted for illegal re-entry and has three other convictions for controlled substance charges.
Rosell Bladimir Ortiz-Garcia, also a Honduran national, was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry in Eagle Pass. Ortiz-Garcia has been deported seven times, the last one being on Feb. 26, after being convicted for assault causing bodily injury.
Victor Aaron Vargas-Leon, a Mexican national, was arrested near El Indio on Aug. 10 and charged with transporting illegal aliens. A criminal complaint alleges that Border Patrol agents found three illegal aliens and another deceased individual in the brush. Vargas-Leon was allegedly determined to be a foot guide for the group.
In El Paso, Mexican national Victor Hugo Lopez-Murillo was allegedly found in a storm drain just over a mile west of the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry. He is charged with illegal re-entry, having been previously removed from the U.S. four times, the last time being in February following a felony conviction for trespassing in a habitation.
Mexican national Jorge Santillan-De La Cruz was arrested in El Paso and charged with illegal re-entry after he allegedly applied for admission into the U.S., presenting himself as a U.S. citizen who had lost his documents in Mexico. Customs and Border Protection officers found that Santillan-De La Cruz had previously been removed from the U.S. for the fourth time in March. Additionally, he has been convicted five times for theft and burglary offenses and twice for illegal re-entry.
Raul Robledo, a U.S. citizen, was charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens after allegedly being observed acting as a look-out during a failed alien smuggling scheme in El Paso on Aug. 4. A criminal complaint alleges that, during the scheme, Border Patrol agents responded to subjects exiting a storm drain and observed multiple vehicles suspected of being involved in the smuggling operation. One subject was allegedly observed lifting the storm drain grate, then dropping it, injuring a female subject who was later transported to a hospital with finger amputations and a head injury. Border Patrol agents located four additional illegal aliens inside the storm drain. Further investigation revealed that Robledo had allegedly fled the scene and had served as a look-out on three other occasions.
Mexican national Luis Heriberto Baca-Baca was arrested while crossing the Rio Grande River with nine other individuals determined to be in the U.S. illegally. Baca-Baca allegedly served as the foot guide for the group and had been observed entering the U.S. illegally with a group of 14 individuals the day prior.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Thursday 14 August 2025
West Memphis Resident to Spend 10 Years in Prison Following Second Federal Felon in Possession of Firearms ConvictionRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A second federal firearm conviction has resulted in Christopher Grays spending the next 120 months in prison. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the 10-year sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.
A federal grand jury indicted Grays, 25, of West Memphis, on June 6, 2024, on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Grays pleaded guilty to the charge on February 4, 2025. Judge Moody also imposed three years of supervised release to follow the prison sentence, which was a significant upward variance from the recommended sentencing range. There is no parole in the federal system.
Judge Moody previously sentenced Grays to 46 months’ imprisonment on November 16, 2020, in Grays’ first federal case, again for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Grays was released from federal prison on that sentence on October 4, 2023. He was then arrested in the present case while in possession of two firearms on February 28, 2024, while still on federal supervised release.
On February 28, 2024, according to testimony disclosed at today’s sentencing hearing, West Memphis Police received a call about a female being held against her will and a subject, identified as Grays, being in possession of multiple guns in a West Memphis hotel room. When officers arrived at the hotel room, they encountered Grays at the door and saw an extended ammunition magazine in his back pocket. Grays kicked multiple police officers while they attempted to take him into custody.
After Grays was detained, officers located two firearms in the toilet tank of the hotel bathroom, including one which was loaded with the same ammunition that was in the magazine in Grays’ pocket.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Moody heard details from numerous police reports describing alleged gun violence that involved Grays, which began when he was a juvenile. In a five-year span from 2015-2020, Grays was mentioned in more than 17 police reports, with most detailing violent conduct.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the West Memphis Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Givens prosecuted the case.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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@USAO_EDAR
Waterbury Armed Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ELVIN SANTOS, 26, of Waterbury, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for drug distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office adopted three separate state cases involving Santos for federal prosecution.
On March 21, 2021, Waterbury Police observed Santos and others conducting what appeared to be hand-to-hand drug transactions from a car Santos was driving. Law enforcement apprehended Santos and two others, and a search of the car revealed three loaded handguns, additional ammunition, a digital scale, and distribution quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine.
In June 2021, Waterbury Police obtained a state search warrant based on continued narcotics trafficking by Santos. On July 8, 2021, officers arrived as Santos’s residence to execute the search warrant and stopped Santos as he exited his vehicle. A search of a satchel Santos was carrying revealed approximately 50 grams of crack, 280 baggies of fentanyl, more than 120 narcotic pills, a digital scale, a .40 caliber bullet, and other items. A search of Santos’s car revealed quantities and marijuana, a digital scale, drug packaging material, and other items. A search of his residence revealed more than a kilogram of marijuana, 250 baggies of fentanyl, drug packaging material, gun magazines, empty firearms boxes, and more than $10,000 in cash.
In May 2022, Waterbury Police obtained a state search warrant for Santos based on continued narcotics trafficking. Santos was arrested on June 14, 2022. On that date, a search of a satchel Santos carried revealed more than 900 baggies of fentanyl; quantities of cocaine, crack, and marijuana, and a digital scale. The search of Santos’s residence revealed a .38 caliber revolver, a distribution quantity of marijuana, and more than $2,000 in cash. A related search of stash location Santos and others used on Gilyard Drive in Waterbury revealed more than 5,500 baggies of fentanyl and drug packaging materials.
Santos has been detained since June 14, 2022. On August 3, 2023, he pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and other controlled substances, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This matter was investigated by the Waterbury Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth.
Warsaw Man Convicted by JuryRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Late yesterday, Gary Schmucker, 47 years old, of Warsaw, Indiana, was found guilty after a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty against Schmucker on the sole count of the Indictment charging him with possessing a firearm as an unlawful drug user.Sentencing is scheduled for November 25, 2025, at 10:00 AM. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph P. Falvey and Jerome W. McKeever.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Two St. Louis Carjackings Lead to ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two men have been indicted and accused of two carjackings in St. Louis in December, and two women have been accused of aiding one of the crimes.
Davion Pruitt, 18, of St. Louis, and Tywone Calvin, 19, of Pine Lawn, were each indicted on July 30 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis with two counts of carjacking and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Mya Reagan, 19, and Evanna Myers-Taylor, 20, face one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
Pruitt, Calvin and Reagan appeared in court Thursday and pleaded not guilty.
The indictment says all four were involved in the armed carjacking of a 2011 Cadillac Escalade on Dec. 23, 2024, in St. Louis. The indictment says Pruit and Calvin stole a 2017 Chevrolet Trax three days later in St. Louis.
Motions seeking to hold Pruitt and Calvin in jail until trial say the first victim met a woman on Facebook and arranged to pick her up in his SUV. She asked him to stop for cigars at a gas station, where two armed men demanded his keys, the motions say. After the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department released the photo of the woman, Reagan was identified as that woman and Myers-Taylor as another passenger in the car, the motion says. The second carjacking victim was alerted by his key fob that something was happening to his vehicle. He went outside and was met by two armed men who took his keys, phone and SUV, the motion says. St. Louis County Police Department officers later spotted the stolen Trax with Pruitt and Calvin inside, the motion says. They arrested Calvin after he crashed the vehicle while fleeing police, the motion says, and arrested Pruitt on Feb. 14, 2025.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torrie J. Schneider is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Two Fayette County Men Plead Guilty to Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Lesley Scott Watkins, 50, and Jawuan Akil Watts, 31, both of Oak Hill, each pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 5, 2024, Watkins possessed an HS Product model XD-S .45-caliber pistol and a Sig Sauer model P220 45-caliber pistol in Fayette County. On July 6, 2024, Watts possessed a Heritage Manufacturing model Rough Rider .22-caliber revolver and a Colt model Peacemaker .22-caliber revolver in Fayette County.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Watkins knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for delivery of a controlled substance in Fayette County Circuit Court on September 24, 2008. Watts knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for burglary in Raleigh County Circuit Court on July 11, 2014.
Watts and Watkins are scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2025. Each faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Oak Hill Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and D. Keith Randolph are prosecuting the cases.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:25-cr-92 (Watkins) and 2:25-cr-93 (Watts).
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Two Convicted Felons Charged with Federal Firearms Violations in Connection with Brooklyn GunfightRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, a criminal complaint was filed charging Edynesson Bauduy and Aaron Richard with federal firearms violations relating to an August 12, 2025 gunfight in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. Both defendants were arrested and Richard made his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Seth D. Eichenholtz. Richard was ordered detained pending trial. Bauduy will be arraigned at a later date.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged, these defendants are convicted felons who engaged in a dangerous gunfight on a busy Brooklyn street in broad daylight, endangering the lives of numerous citizens,” said United States Attorney Nocella. “Both defendants had been released from prison earlier this year. Despite repeated encounters with our criminal justice system, each defendant chose to return to the streets to engage in brazen acts of violence. Today’s arrests demonstrate our continued commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to combat gun violence and hold accountable those who illegally possess firearms and endanger our communities.”
Mr. Nocella thanked the U.S. Marshals Service Regional Fugitive Task Force for their valuable assistance on the case.
"Edynesson Bauduy and Aaron Richard allegedly engaged in a public gunfight despite their previous criminal convictions barring them from possessing firearms. These convicted felons allegedly continued to wreak havoc in our community and posed an unnecessary threat to innocent bystanders. These successful Operation Summer Heat arrests emphasizes the FBI’s steadfast commitment to collaborating with our law enforcement partners to crush all violent crime disrupting the safety of our city," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, on August 12, 2025, at approximately 7:25 p.m., NYPD officers on patrol in the 70th Precinct heard gunshots and immediately responded near 533 Ocean Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn. When officers arrived, they observed a gunfight in progress between Bauduy and Richard.
Police recovered a firearm that had been used by Bauduy and shell casings from where Richard fired his weapon. Both defendants have prior felony convictions that prohibit them from possessing firearms or ammunition. Richard was released from prison in April of this year; Bauduy was released from prison in June.
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, each defendant faces up to 15 years in prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorney’s Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Brachah Goykadosh and Matthew Sullivan are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
EDYNESSON BAUDUY
Age: 22
Brooklyn, New YorkAARON RICHARD
bauduy_and_richard_complaint.pdf
Age: 35
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-248
Trenton Man Sentenced to a Total of 190 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County man was sentenced to a total of 190 months in prison for possessing quantities of fentanyl he intended to distribute and being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Jaquan Picott, 30, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court to an Information charging him with possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possessing ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In December 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and other law enforcement agencies began an investigation of Picott for drug trafficking and firearm activities. The investigation revealed that from December 2022 through April 2023, Picott sold approximately 450 grams of fentanyl, unserialized privately manufactured firearms (commonly called “ghost guns”), and ammunition in Ocean and Mercer Counties. On June 1, 2023, Picott was arrested for this conduct.
In December 2024, Picott absconded from pre-trial supervision and on June 27, 2025, was arrested by the United States Marshals Service (USMS) New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force (NY/NJ RFTF). The NY/NJ RFTF was formed in 2002 and has made an extraordinary impact on the investigation and apprehension of the region’s most dangerous and violent fugitives striving to make communities safer.
“We will not tolerate drug traffickers who poison our community with fentanyl. This sentence reflects our commitment to holding accountable those who seek to flood our neighborhoods with deadly drugs. And if you run to avoid justice, know that we and our law enforcement partners will find you to face your fate.”
- Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba
Picott was sentenced to 190 months for possessing quantities of fentanyl he intended to distribute and 180 months for being a felon in possession of ammunition, with both counts to run concurrently.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, and the ATF Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. with the investigation leading to the charges, and the USMS, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., with the investigation leading to the apprehension of Picott after he absconded.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard G. Shephard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Andrea G. Aldana, Esq., Trenton
Three men arrested for their roles in international drug trafficking ring involving pharmaceuticalsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Leeladhar H. Tandel, 44, of Mobile, AL, Barry M. Wright, 55, of Marietta, GA, and Jesus Andon, 56, of St. Louis, MO, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the criminal complaint, the Buffalo Office of the DEA has been investigating online websites, including “MEDDZONLINE.COM,” which sell counterfeit pharmaceutical and controlled substances. The website has listed for sale medications such as Percocet, Adderall, Alprazolam, and Oxycodone. MEDDZONLINE.COM and related websites are believed to be part of a larger organized drug trafficking organization, operating domestically and internationally. After orders are received, the organization sends a bulk shipment of drugs via international mail, to a U.S. based bulk re-shipper, which are then sent to domestic re-shippers who are responsible for shipping out the individual orders via USPS to customers. These domestic re-shippers are paid by the drug trafficking organization for each package they mail out to customers.
In February 2024, the DEA began investigating a non-fatal overdose in the Silver Creek, NY, area, of a victim who purchased drugs five separate times from the MEDDZONLINE.COM website, including Valium, Ambien, and Tapentadol. Payment was made to an individual in Pakistan. This exchange shows the flow of money back to the head of the drug trafficking organization overseas in Pakistan, even though the website advertises the drugs as originating in the USA and shipping within the USA. Subsequently, investigators conducted several controlled purchases through the websites operated by the head of the drug trafficking organization. One of the controlled purchases identified defendant Tandel as a co-conspirator operating in the Mobile, Alabama, area. Law enforcement believes he is a distributor of illegal controlled substances and/or counterfeit substances through the United States Postal Service. He is believed to have mailed at least 40 packages from Summerdale, Alabama, to locations across the country, including Buffalo.
During the investigation, law enforcement also conducted undercover purchases from defendant Wright in Georgia. Wright is also accused of shipping packages across the country, mailing out a total of 333 parcels containing a variety of Schedule II and Schedule IV drugs. Defendant Andon is accused of shipping 41 packages of Ambien pills from St. Louis, Missouri to an individual identified as C.B.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division. Additional assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Offices in St. Louis, MO, Atlanta, GA, and Mobile, AL.
If members of the public have purchased substances from any of the following websites, they should not ingest the substances and contact law enforcement:
- MEDDZONLINE.COM
- PHARMACYSTOREONLINE.COM
- MEDSHEALTHONLINE.COM
- PHARMACYHUBONLINE.COM
- PHARMACYMEDSONLINE.COM
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Texas Mexican Mafia Leader Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Texas Mexican Mafia gang leader was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for his role in a meth trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, David Botello, aka Torito, aka Bully, aka Bully-Man, 54, of San Antonio, was a “lieutenant of lieutenants” in the Texas Mexican Mafia throughout the course of a Drug Enforcement Administration-led investigation that began in July 2020. On or about July 28, 2020, Botello was arrested by San Antonio Police during a traffic stop after officers discovered he was driving without a license. Botello was also found to be in possession of approximately 150 grams of methamphetamine, nine new cell phones, and $585. Further investigation revealed Botello was conspiring with other members of the Texas Mexican Mafia to possess and distribute large quantities of methamphetamine.
On April 21, 2021, Botello was charged in three counts of a 14-count indictment that included 11 co-defendants. Along with two charges related to meth trafficking, Botello was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He had previously been convicted for murder and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.
Botello pleaded guilty on Dec. 11, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.
“This investigation demonstrates our office's commitment to dismantling criminal organizations in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “As a leader of the Texas Mexican Mafia, Botello was responsible for the distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine in San Antonio, enriching himself and his fellow gang members to the detriment of so many of our fellow citizens. We are thankful for the outstanding collaboration of our federal, state and local partners in this case, which coalesced around the common cause of bringing this murderer and gang member to justice. In the Western District of Texas, this is what we do.”
The DEA, FBI, San Antonio Police Department’s Gang Unit, Bexar County Sheriff’s Department, Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Yuen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Texas Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Federal Prison for Dealing MethRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Frio County man was sentenced in federal court to 235 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Joe Corona, 34, sold a package containing 486 grams of pure methamphetamine for $2,850 on March 3, 2021. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Frio County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a search warrant at Corona’s residence on April 23, 2021, discovering 67.7 grams of pure methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a .38 caliber revolver, .38 special ammunition, and a box of .357 magnum ammunition. Further investigation revealed that Corona had worked for a drug trafficking organization, transporting methamphetamine from Mexico into the U.S., and was paid $1,500 per trip.
Corona was originally arrested on state charges by the Texas Department of Public Safety on Sept. 28, 2021. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 20, 2021, and transferred into federal custody on Jan. 25, 2022. Corona pleaded guilty to a superseding information on May 9, 2025, and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jason K. Pulliam on Aug. 13.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Frio County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Spears prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Syracuse Man Arrested for Filing False Bankruptcy Petitions Against Local Law Enforcement Official, Judges, and Non-Profit OrganizationRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Robert Johnson, age 41, of Syracuse, New York, was charged with making false declarations in a bankruptcy case, bankruptcy fraud, and falsification of bankruptcy records for filing false bankruptcy petitions in Michigan, Mississippi, Iowa, Florida, New York, Montana, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement.
A criminal complaint alleges that between June 2025 to July 2025 Johnson filed multiple false bankruptcy petitions alleging that a law enforcement official was a commodity broker who engaged in white collar crimes and wire fraud and owed Johnson $99,999,999; an Onondaga County State Court Judge was a stockbroker who engaged in fraud and a commodity broker who engaged in white collar crimes and wire fraud, and owed Johnson $99,999,999 in debts; and a Cayuga County Supreme Court Judge was a stockbroker engaged in Ponzi schemes and owed Johnson $99,999,999 in debts. Further, the complaint alleges that Johnson filed a bankruptcy petition in West Virginia that claimed that a non-profit organization, headquartered in Syracuse, New York, had environmental and health hazards, money laundering, and Ponzi schemes associated with it. According to the complaint, each of the bankruptcy petitions were mailed in Syracuse, New York. The FBI investigated and found the claims in Johnson’s bankruptcy petitions to be false.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “Johnson, as alleged, filed bogus petitions in nine states against respected public officials, and a reputable non-profit organization. These false petitions wreak havoc on the victims; it is a form of financial terrorism. As Mr. Johnson’s arrest will attest, we will not stand for this conduct in the Northern District of New York. I want to commend the FBI agents who conducted this investigation and were able to apprehend the defendant in record time.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli said: “The impact of Mr. Johnson’s alleged fraud was incredibly damaging to the individuals and the non-profit he targeted. Once our office was notified of the alleged crimes, we investigated and swiftly arrested Johnson, who is now facing federal charges for his reckless schemes. The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate criminals looking to defraud our communities.”
The charges filed against Johnson carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Johnson appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge, Mark W. Pederson, and was detained pending further proceedings.
The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Brown is prosecuting the case.
Statement on civil rights review of death of Manuel EllisRead the Press Release
A team of experienced federal prosecutors conducted an independent and comprehensive review of the record in the criminal jury trial of State of Washington v. Tacoma Police Department Officers Burbank, Collins, and Rankine, concerning Manuel Ellis’s death on March 3, 2020. The review focused on the application of 18 U.S.C. § 242, a federal criminal civil rights statute that prohibits certain types of official misconduct. After a careful and thorough review, the Department of Justice has closed its inquiry.
Stamford Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking NarcoticsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DANNY TURKVAN, also known as “Smooth” 54, of Stamford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics in southwestern Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Rodney Canada, also known as “Supreme,” as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine in Stamford and elsewhere in southwestern Connecticut. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Canada and others coordinated the street level distribution of narcotics through Turkvan and others.
Turkvan, Canada, and several other members of the conspiracy were arrested federally on May 14, 2024. On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches at locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Darien, and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine, nearly 400 grams of raw fentanyl, more than 500 bags of fentanyl, five firearms, a bulletproof vest, and seven vehicles.
On April 11, 2025, Turkvan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Turkvan, who is released on a $150,000 bond, is required to report to prison on October 16.
Canada has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments. The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 110 Months Imprisonment for Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A St. Louis, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for his illegal possession of firearm by a convicted felon.
Michael Lamont Miller, Sr., 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool to 110 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Harpool also ordered that the federal sentence would be served consecutive, or after, Miller completed his state sentences on unrelated matter.
On Feb. 4, 2025, Miller pleaded guilty to a single count indictment, charging him with illegally possessing a firearm on March 30, 2022.
Miller, a nine-time convicted felon, was contacted by Christian County, Missouri, after being stopped for a traffic infraction. When asked if there was anything illegal in his vehicle, Miller admitted that law enforcement would find a firearm within his vehicle. Law enforcement discovered a Springfield-Armory XDS, 9mm semi-automatic firearm. Officers observed that firearm was loaded with a full magazine and a round was in the chamber. Officers also located illegal substances in close proximity to the firearm.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Branson, Missouri, Police Department, the Christian County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 107 Months in Prison for Five Bank Robberies and One Attempted RobberyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a man who committed five bank robberies and one attempted robbery to 107 months in prison.
Derrick Snulligan, now 62, of Velda Village Hills, handed a note demanding money to the teller of a bank in Northwoods, Missouri on April 18, 2023. He returned to the same bank and did the same thing on Aug. 28, 2023. On Oct. 13, 2023, he tried a third time, but a teller activated an alarm and told Snulligan to leave. In each robbery, Snulligan was wearing a mask.
On June 24, 2024, his notes became more threatening. He handed a note to a Hazelwood credit union employee that read, “I[f] you don’t want to get hurt, go in your drawer and give me 6-one hundred dollar bills, 4-fifty dollar bills, 10-ten dollar bills, and 20-5 dollar bills as quickly as possible,” his plea agreement says. The teller handed cash to Snulligan, who fled.
Three days later, Snulligan handed a note to the teller of a St. Louis credit union demanding money. That same day, he committed a similar robbery at a Florissant credit union. His note read, “If you don’t want to get shot I suggest you go in your drawer and give me 30 one hundred dollar bill[s], 20 fifty dollar bills, 30, 20 dollar bills and 40, 10 dollar bills as quickly as possible.”
After the final two robberies, Snulligan fled in a blue Buick Encore. Investigators traced the vehicle to Snulligan, who admitted committing the robberies, and seized some of the stolen money from him. He repaid the rest of the money before sentencing.
“Derrick Snulligan terrorized bank employees who feared for their lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Today’s sentence delivers justice for the trauma he caused.”
Snulligan, who is also known as Derrick Jackson, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in March to five counts of bank robbery.
The FBI, the Florissant Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Northwoods Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa
prosecuted the case.This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Louis County Man Convicted of Child Sex-Related ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A jury on Wednesday afternoon found a St. Louis County man guilty of all the child sex-related charges that he faced.
David S. Becker, 69, was found guilty of one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of receiving/distributing child pornography. Evidence and testimony at the trial, which began Monday, showed that Becker began corresponding with a person on a nudist website. That person claimed to be the mother of an 11-year-old girl in France. Becker and the person discussed having sex with each other and the child. Becker bought plane tickets for France and obtained an extended-stay visa, planning to travel there in June of 2023, evidence and testimony showed.
Investigators were already working on a cyber tipline report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about someone uploading child sexual abuse material (CSAM). On May 22, 2023, investigators conducted a court-approved search of Becker’s home. Becker admitted planning the trip to France to meet the mother and her daughter. Investigators found CSAM on Becker’s electronic devices, as well as years of communications about Becker’s plans to sexually abuse the child, evidence and testimony showed.
In her opening statement to jurors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson called Becker’s conduct “deranged and unnatural.”
Becker is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1. The coercion charge carries a penalty of 10 years to life in prison, and the child pornography charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
The St. Louis County Police Dept. Special Investigations Unit, the FBI and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jillian Anderson and Michael Hayes are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Seattle Woman Indicted for Murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent in VermontRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – A federal grand jury in the District of Vermont returned a four-count superseding indictment today charging Teresa Youngblut, 21, of Seattle, Washington, with the murder of a Border Patrol agent, the assault of two additional agents with a deadly weapon, and related firearms offenses.
“As alleged, this defendant shot and killed a United States Border Patrol Agent while he was performing his duties,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will not stand for such attacks on the men and women who protect our communities and our borders.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office intends to continue to honor the men and women of law enforcement, and the memory of Border Patrol Agent Maland, by performing its prosecutorial duties so that justice may be done,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher for the District of Vermont.
“The murder of a federal agent is more than a tragic loss,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “It’s an attack on the security of our nation and the safety of our communities. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not rest until those responsible are held accountable. We are all steadfast in our mission to curb violence that endangers both public servants and the citizens we are sworn to protect."
According to court documents, on the afternoon of Jan. 20, 2025, a U.S. Border Patrol agent conducted a traffic stop of a Toyota Prius on Interstate 91 in Coventry, Vermont. Youngblut and a male German citizen – whose immigration status was in question – were in the car.
Days earlier, law enforcement had taken note of Youngblut and her companion when a hotel employee reported that they were wearing tactical gear and appeared to be armed. The same day of the shooting, officers had observed the pair at a Walmart parking lot in Newport, Vermont, where the German citizen was seen wrapping unknown objects in aluminum foil.
Court documents allege that during the Jan. 20 vehicle stop, both Youngblut and her companion were armed. Youngblut exited the vehicle and, without warning, opened fire, resulting in the death of one of the agents.
For the current charges, the maximum penalty is death, and Attorney General Bondi has authorized and directed the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Vermont to pursue capital punishment in this case. Consistent with that authorization and direction, the Acting United States Attorney has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Youngblut.
The FBI Albany Field Office investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Vermont State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations, United States Border Patrol, the Newport Police Department, and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.
Trial Attorneys Lisa M. Thelwell and Dennis Robinson of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher for the District of Vermont are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Seattle Woman Indicted for Murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent in VermontRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Vermont returned a four-count superseding indictment today charging Teresa Youngblut, 21, of Seattle, with the murder of a Border Patrol agent, the assault of two additional agents with a deadly weapon, and related firearms offenses.
“As alleged, this defendant shot and killed a United States Border Patrol Agent while he was performing his duties,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will not stand for such attacks on the men and women who protect our communities and our borders.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office intends to continue to honor the men and women of law enforcement, and the memory of Border Patrol Agent Maland, by performing its prosecutorial duties so that justice may be done,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher for the District of Vermont.
“The murder of a federal agent is more than a tragic loss,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “It’s an attack on the security of our nation and the safety of our communities. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not rest until those responsible are held accountable. We are all steadfast in our mission to curb violence that endangers both public servants and the citizens we are sworn to protect."
According to court documents, on the afternoon of Jan. 20. a U.S. Border Patrol agent conducted a traffic stop of a Toyota Prius on Interstate 91 in Coventry, Vermont. Youngblut and a male German citizen – whose immigration status was in question – were in the car.
Days earlier, law enforcement had taken note of Youngblut and her companion when a hotel employee reported that they were wearing tactical gear and appeared to be armed. The same day of the shooting, officers had observed the pair at a parking lot in Newport, Vermont, where the German citizen was seen wrapping unknown objects in aluminum foil.
Court documents allege that during the Jan. 20 vehicle stop, both Youngblut and her companion were armed. Youngblut exited the vehicle and, without warning, opened fire, resulting in the death of one of the agents.
For the current charges, the maximum penalty is death, and Attorney General Pamela Bondi has authorized and directed the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Vermont to pursue capital punishment in this case. Consistent with that authorization and direction, the Acting U.S. Attorney has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Youngblut.
The FBI Albany Field Office investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Vermont State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, the Newport Police Department, and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.
Trial Attorneys Lisa M. Thelwell and Dennis Robinson of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher for the District of Vermont are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Saginaw Drug Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BAY CITY — Keino Hughes, 42, of Saginaw was sentenced on August 14, 2025, to 151 months in federal prison for his possession with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF).
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington imposed sentence on Hughes following his guilty plea for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, in July of 2024, the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (BAYANET), including ATF Special Agents, executed a search warrant at Hughes’s residence in Saginaw. Inside the home, they recovered amounts of cocaine and cocaine base, two firearms, two digital scales, and over $17,000 in cash.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, in conjunction with the Michigan State Police Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Orr.
Rhode Island Businessman Convicted a Second Time on Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island businessman was convicted on tax charges today for a second time, admitting that in this most recent matter he failed to pay more than $1.3 million in taxes, penalties, fees, and interest owed to the IRS dating back to tax years 2007 – 2013, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Under the terms of a plea agreement filed with the court, William N. L’Europa, 60, of Cranston, entered a guilty plea today to a charge of tax evasion and he is required to pay restitution to the IRS totaling $1,367,336.08 no later than the date of sentencing in this matter. L’Europa is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12, 2025.
In 2012, L’Europa and a business partner were convicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and filing a false tax return. They admitted to the court that they underreported business receipts for tax years 2007-2010, resulting in the underpayment of federal taxes to the Internal Revenue Service of more than $500,000. In January 2013, L’Europa was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and ordered to file accurate, amended federal tax returns for tax years 2007 – 2011, and to pay all taxes due the IRS.
Court documents reflect that in March 2019, L’Europa submitted documentation to the IRS falsely indicating that he had little or no income. As a result, the IRS did not pursue collections of taxes due at that time. Further, in 2022 L’Europa signed an Offer in Compromise to lower his liability for taxes owed for calendar years 2007-2013, knowing that he was understating his actual personal income. The IRS determined that, in fact, L’Europa manipulated the finances and business records for a business for which he worked to have it under report his income and conceal his personal expenditures, including over $10,000 on a motorcycle, $100,000 to discharge a debt owed the State of Rhode Island, $12,000 downpayment on a new truck for his wife, and other personal expenditures paid for through the use of a business credit card paid off with funds from business accounts.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
The matter was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI.
The sentences imposed in this matter will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Almost 17 Years in Prison for Armed Carjacking of 73-Year-Old Victim in Spruce Hill, West PhiladelphiaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Zyair Dangerfield-Hill, 24, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond to 199 months in prison and five years of supervised release for the gunpoint carjacking of a 73-year-old man in April 2021.
The defendant was charged by indictment in July of that year with one count of carjacking and aiding and abetting, and one count of carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and aiding and abetting. In April of this year, he was convicted on both charges at trial.
As proven at trial, just after 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, the victim was walking his dog on Pine Street, in the Spruce Hill neighborhood of West Philadelphia, and had stopped to put something in his parked vehicle, when the defendant and his associate walked up and pointed loaded handguns at the victim. They demanded the victim’s car keys, cell phone, and wallet, and threatened to shoot him if he didn’t comply.
The victim told them that he didn’t have his wallet or phone on him, but handed over a $20 bill and his car keys. At that time, two other males approached, also pointing their guns at the victim. All four of the carjackers then jumped into the victim’s vehicle, with the defendant in the front passenger seat, and drove away.
The Philadelphia Police Department was alerted about the carjacking, with officers arriving on scene a few minutes later. They broadcast over police radio a description of the victim’s vehicle, the four carjackers, and their direction of travel, and two officers on patrol spotted a car matching that description about a mile from the carjacking scene.
The officers turned on their lights and sirens and pursued the stolen car, which was driving erratically and at a high rate of speed, soon crashing into yellow metal pillars at 52nd Street and Paschall Avenue. Four males jumped out of the car and took off running, with the officers giving chase on foot. A short time later, the defendant was found hiding behind a motorcycle about three and a half blocks from the crash scene. DNA, latent prints, location data, and other evidence subsequently linked the defendant to the crime.
“Dangerfield-Hill participated in the ambush of an innocent stranger in a brazen daylight carjacking, the victim surrounded by assailants pointing guns and shouting threats,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “We will not permit armed criminals to prey on people in this city. We’ll continue to work with our partners to put violent offenders behind bars, where they belong.”
“Let this sentencing serve as a clear warning to anyone considering violent crime in our city: we will find you, and we will bring you to justice,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “Carjackings are a vicious crime that endanger lives, spread fear, and erode the very fabric of community safety. The FBI will continue working side by side with our partners at the Philadelphia Police Department to protect our citizens and ensure those who commit these crimes are held fully accountable.”
The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang and Special Assistant United States Attorney David Weisberg.
Orlando Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Joseph Anthony Santopietro (48, Orlando) to five years in federal prison for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Santopietro pleaded guilty on May 5, 2025.
According to court documents, Santopietro received CSAM depicting young children from an individual via an instant message app. A conversation between Santopietro and another adult male discussing Santopietro’s sexual interest in minors was also found on Santopietro’s phone.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kaley Austin Aronson and Noah P. Dorman.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.